When Czar Threw a Masquerade

In 1903 in the Winter Palace, Nikolai II threw a masquerade ball in honor of 290 anniversary of Romanov dynasty. The requirement for the ball included being dressed in pre-Peter I clothes. Peter I (1672-1725) modernized Russia, trying to bring it from the dark ages and turning it into a European power. One of his innovations included mandating a European style of dress, which he felt would present a better view of Russian court to foreigners. So for this masquerade ball, the elite of Russian society appeared in old style outfits that hadn’t been worn for over two hundred years. Nikolai II wore the outfit from Czar Alexei (1645-1676), for example.

The entire affair was photographed. The images are in black and white but recently Olga Shirnina, an artist, colorized some of the images. Click to enlarge.

Thanks for sharing! I love these photographs. My husband and I spent the summer in Russia (staying in St. Petersburg, with a day trip to Moscow) 14 years ago. I was able to buy a replica of a Tsarina headdress, similar to the Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna’s. These photos take me back.

Olga’s work is impressive especially the facial colouring, it is so delicate. Look at the beauty and poise of these women! Many of them also seem to have the Hollywood nose 👀
I can see why Peter changed the dress code. The costumes clearly show the local roots. Clothes (similar but better) maketh the man, would have been a good guiding principle when competing with the French and English courts.

Great pictures. Clothes were usually hand sewn and took time to make in the 1800s. The more delicate and elaborate the more time it took to sew. Really good seamstresses were sought out. Fittings were meticulous since the measurements had to be correct.

Hand sewing, I think, has become a lost art since we now have sewing machines and sergers. I do some hand sewing when I have to put in lining for a garmet. It takes time but the results are with it.

Wow. Those were amazing.
I find it interesting that many of the ladies were wearing similar style dresses. Pale colors, and surprisingly (for me) loose, with the embroidery down the front.
Reminds of when I read Regency romances and they talk about the gowns that are “in” and the seamstress everyone in the ton had to frequent.

These were beautiful. I had no idea clothes could be so opulent or that they had giant headresses like aristocratic ladies in china and korea. What really surprised me was that the women were all very beautiful too, and these weren’t stylized portraits or anything. They really looked like that!

My wife and I have done a bit of medieval reenactment and, as her family is from what is now Ukraine and some of mine from “Poland” (17th century), our personas are Slavic (Kievan Rus).

I was thinking that I had something new to show her for a change. Yeah, right! She knew about it and had used it to help design a dress for court. Others in the SCA have made kokoshniks (head pieces) as nice as some of those pictured. Very cool stuff.

Fabric lust is a real ailment, and now I have it. My grandmothers were professional seamstresses, and I have a lifetime of experience making costumes for Halloween, reenactors and cosplay. I could try for some of these looks, but most would need months of construction time, acres of buckram, and gallons of starch. Oh, those fabrics. What a lovely display. Thanks for sharing.

I don’t know if it is allowed to post links, but there is an article that talks about this ball and apparently there was a card series made with images of some of the attendees. I think Ilona certainly has played with this set of cards. I have many times. If I can’t use links then just google card deck Russian masquerade.